Sunday League: Newlands battle back to knock out Pier

Daniel Gregory

Newlands looked down and out of their North Riding Sunday Challenge Cup encounter against West Pier, but battled back to move into the next round.

Newlands men trailed 2-0 against Pier at the interval thanks to Cameron Dobson’s volley and Luke Delve’s penalty and then the away side grabbed a third through Martin Cooper’s rasping free-kick after the break to seemingly put the game to bed.

But the home side rallied and somehow found a way back into the contest, first Liam Cooper finding the back of the net to make it 3-1, before Stew Bates delivered a second for Park to set up a tense finish.

Prolific frontman Drew McCoubrey was on target to level matters up before Bates fired in a dramatic winner to complete a stunning turnaround.

Park boss Ben Luntley said: “Man of the match was Hugh Brown, he changed the game when he came on at 3-0 down.”

Pier boss Paddy Parke added: “It was definitely a game of two halves. We didn’t want half-time to come, we were battering them.

“They came at us second half and got four quick goals, it’s gutting but good luck to them in the next round.”

Parke singled out his entire makeshift back four of Jonny Hyde, Dan Bradbury, Damo Robinson and Adie Blake.

Ayton boss Mark Plumpton saw his side suffer penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Romanby, the player-manager missing the crucial spot-kick that would have seen his side through.

The game looked dead and buried as Ayton dominated and led 1-0, 3-1 and 4-2, but they ultimately paid the price for missing countless glorious chances and Romanby hit back.

Goals from Danny Appleton, two from rolling-sub Dan Bywater and a Kieran Friett strike had earlier put Ayton in command, but two goals in the last 10 minutes sent the game to penalties.

Plumpton had the chance to win it with his side’s fifth after Romanby had missed, but his effort crashed off the bar.

Both games scheduled in Division One were postponed as Commercial failed to raise a side for their game against Heslerton, while there was no referee available to take charge of Fylingdales v Trafalgar.

Fylingdales Reserves emerged from a ding-dong battle against Scarborough Campus with three points thanks to a 4-3 victory in Division Two.

Fylingdales led but goals from Ed Burrows and Josh Farrow handed Campus the lead.

Shaun Evans gave away a penalty, which Dales converted to level matters up at 2-2 again, before the away side took the lead again.

Dales were then reduced to 10 men after an incident off the ball and Campus took advantage, George Thompson firing in from the spot after Burrows had been brought down.

The away side weren’t to be denied though and scored with a late penalty to take the victory.

The drama wasn’t over though and both sides had a man sent off, Michael Stables recieving his marching orders for Campus, while Dales were reduced to nine men.

Campus boss Paul Hill singled out Niaz Mohammad as their man of the match.

Trafalgar Reserves got back to winning ways with a resounding 10-1 victory against Alma.